Volcanoes, Palm Trees, and Privilege
Essays on Hawai'i
A 2019 New York Times Top Summer ReadFinalist, Oregon Book Award 2020 Liz Prato combines lyricism, research and humor to explore her role as a white tourist in a seemingly paradisiacal land that has been largely formed and destroyed by white outsiders. Hawaiian history, pop culture, and contemporary affairs are masterfully woven with her personal narrative of loss and survival in linked essays, offering unique insight into how the touristic ideal of Hawai‘i came to be, and what Hawai‘i is at its core.
Liz Prato is also the author of the short story collection Baby's on Fire: Stories published in 2015 (Press 53). Her work has appeared in over two dozen literary journals, including The Rumpus, Baltimore Review, and Salon. She is Editor at Large for Forest Avenue Press. Liz teaches in Portland and at literary festivals across the country. She lives in a house in the woods with her husband, an indie bookseller and writer.
